Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Overland Park, KS
VS
Syracuse, NY
🏆 Overland Park leads 19 of 23 categories
Overland Park
Kansas
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$100,876 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
196,676 ✓ Larger
Syracuse
New York
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.2
Median Household Income
$43,584
Violent Crime Index
201⚠ High
Population
146,134
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Overland Park, KS
Pros
Households earn $57,292 more per year on average
76% less violent crime than Syracuse
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.4 pts lower (3.2%)
More college-educated — 62.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (184.4 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $361,800
Higher rents — median is $1,378/mo
Syracuse, NY
Pros
Homes cost $244k less ($117,900 vs $361,800)
Rent averages $446/mo less ($932 vs $1,378)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 88°F
Smaller class sizes — 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Overland Park by $57,292/yr
Violent crime (765.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4234.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Overland Park
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 95.2 (100 = US avg)
Overland Park
Median Income
$57,292
$100,876 vs $43,584/yr
Overland Park
Violent Crime
76% lower
184.4 vs 765.3 per 100k
Overland Park
Unemployment
5.4 pp lower
3.2% vs 8.6% unemployment
Overland Park
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 88.2°F vs 81.7°F
Syracuse
Median Home Value
$244k less
$117,900 vs $361,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Overland Park, KS | Syracuse, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 95.2 |
| Median Home Value | $361,800⚠ High | $117,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,378⚠ High | $932 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $100,876 ✓ Higher | $43,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.9 min | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.5% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 63 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 202⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.3:1 | 10.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.5% ✓ Higher | 29.7% |
| High School or Higher | 97.2% ✓ Higher | 84.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Blue Valley | SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.7°F ✓ Warmer | 31.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.6" ✓ Drier | 43.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" ✓ Less | 127.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 196,676 ✓ Larger | 146,134 |
| Median Age | 38.4 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.4% ✓ Higher | 40.8% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% ✓ More | 21.0% |
| Over 65 | 16.1% ✓ More | 13.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Overland Park's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Syracuse's 95.2 (US average = 100).
Overland Park is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Overland Park leads 19 of 23 categories. Overland Park wins 19 and Syracuse wins 4. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Overland Park to Syracuse or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($361,800 vs $117,900 median home), income ($100,876 vs $43,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Overland Park, KS and Syracuse, NY are about 1,007 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.